[Note: Read up to Chapter - 161 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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"Oi, brother, is this the training ground you've set up for them?"
Luna suddenly appeared behind Aris, as if out of nowhere.
After returning to the castle, the little girl had gone off to play with Elise. She hadn't even shown up when Fudge and Dumbledore from the Ministry paid a visit. Aris guessed she was curious about the castle and probably went hunting for the Scimitar-Horned Snorkeller. He didn't bother her and just instructed Snoopy to keep a closer eye on things.
"Yes, that's the one!" Aris said with a smile. "Their spellcasting is improving far too slowly—it's time to give them a proper boost."
"It's time they really get to grips with elemental magic!"
"I want to learn with them too. Is that alright?" Luna asked, looking up at him earnestly.
"But you haven't got a wand… is that going to be a problem?" Aris raised an eyebrow.
Seeing her expectant eyes, he chuckled and shook his head. "No worries, love. As long as it makes you happy!"
"Thank you, brother!" Luna beamed, her dimples popping as she grinned.
Twenty-five minutes later, with just five minutes left before the time Aris and Harry had agreed to meet, Hermione and Cho were the first to arrive at the training ground.
"Is this where the special training's happening?" Hermione asked, looking around with curiosity.
Cho, on the other hand, dashed straight for the simulated combat site.
"Blimey, this place is massive!" he exclaimed.
The actual combat field, enhanced by the Traceless Extension Charm, was as big as two or three regular Quidditch pitches. It was practically a small outdoor training area, complete with all sorts of environments and terrains, making it incredibly lifelike.
"Right then," Aris said, glancing at Luna with a smile, "the four of you… scratch that—the five of you—will be going through two weeks of proper special training here, all the way until school starts!"
"Harry, Ronald, don't think you can be late here either. If you are, the punishment'll be far worse than anything at Hogwarts. Keep that in mind!" Aris said seriously, fixing his gaze on the two lads who had just arrived.
"Yes, Aris!" Harry nodded firmly.
"We shouldn't be late, right…" Ronald scratched his head, glancing nervously at his mate beside him.
"I'm just giving you a friendly heads-up… and laying down the rules at the same time," Aris added, spreading his hands in a casual shrug. "After all, you've been through enough at Hogwarts, haven't you?"
Harry and Ronald lowered their heads and stayed quiet.
"Right, one last thing. If anyone doesn't fancy taking part in this special training, now's the time to say so. You can have two weeks of fun in the castle instead. But once you sign up, you're sticking to my training plan—no excuses!"
Aris's eyes swept over the little wizards.
"Anyone thinking of bowing out?"
Although none of them spoke, they all shook their heads quietly.
Hermione and Cho's reasoning was simple: Aris had always been their role model when it came to studying. Now, they had a golden chance to receive serious, personalised instruction from him, and they were over the moon.
As for fatigue and hard graft—well, they'd spent over twenty hours a day in the Room of Requirement back at Hogwarts. They'd already gotten used to high-intensity learning, so Aris's methods didn't faze them.
Harry and Ronald, on the other hand, were buzzing with energy. Seeing just how impressive and capable Aris was, and how hard he worked, both lads felt a spark of competition stir within them. Harry, in particular, was driven by a grim motivation: the man who murdered his parents was most likely still out there, and he had to grow stronger to have any chance of revenge.
Ronald, meanwhile, was simply dragged along by his mate's determination. Deep down, he'd have been quite happy to take it easy and enjoy two weeks of comfort in the castle.
But seeing how excited the others were, Ronald felt a bit sheepish about the idea of slacking off.
Still, he thought to himself, once he got stronger, he'd be buzzing to show off—whether back at school or at home. That way, all the graft would feel worth it.
"Right, since no one's quitting, our training officially starts tomorrow!" Aris announced. "As for today, you lot should stay within the magic circle and get used to it."
"Particularly you two, Harry and Ronald. Your perception of elemental energy isn't quite up to scratch yet. If you want to master real elemental magic, you'll need to work your socks off over the next two weeks. Only then might you catch up with Hermione and Cho—otherwise, you'll be left in the dust!"
Aris laid out the plan crisply and clearly for everyone.
"Got it!" Harry and Ronald said, exchanging a glance with Hermione and Cho and nodding seriously. They'd long been overshadowed by the two girls in terms of skill, and it had niggled at them for ages.
Now, with the hope of catching up, Harry and Ronald suddenly felt a surge of energy.
"Luna, you should sit in the magic circle too and sense the elemental energy. This is the most important step in learning elemental magic. You remember the method, right?"
"Yes, I still recall what my brother taught me," Luna nodded lightly.
The five of them then took their places in the elemental energy perception circle, each sitting according to their respective attributes.
During this time, Aris ran an attribute test on Luna. It turned out the little girl's primary element was wind, but, like Harry, she had three talents. Her secondary elements were fire and ice—something Aris hadn't expected.
"All right, you lot, get practising!"
After assigning everyone, Aris stepped out of the training base. Just then, Henry happened to stroll over from nearby.
"Master, everything's all set!"
"Well, where are they?"
"Right in the living room!"
"Then let's be off!"
With that, the two exchanged a quick word and strode toward the main living room.
Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy had been waiting at the manor for some time—actually, they'd arrived before Fudge and Crouch.
Back then, Aris hadn't had the time to see them, so the pair had been left waiting in the side hall of the castle.
Now that he was free, Aris asked Henry to escort them to the main living room for the meeting.
"Have you managed all those pure-blood wizard families yet?" Aris asked casually as they walked.
He knew Henry would handle it with meticulous care. From the events of the past couple of days, Aris only wanted to get a clear picture of the situation.
"It's all sorted, young master. Most of those lot are spineless and have practically handed themselves over to the Shafiq family. Most of their estates have been donated to the Wizard Aid Association. Following your instructions, I've found jobs for every one of them…"
"As for the work itself, most have been assigned according to their own skills. It won't be anything fancy, but at least they won't starve!"
"Not bad," Aris nodded with satisfaction.
These pure-blood wizards are used to living in luxury, so it'll do them good to get a taste of the workers' life for a change.
As for Lucius… he's actually quite capable. Aris mused that perhaps he'd give him a chance. If he passes the loyalty test, it wouldn't be impossible for him to rise as a grassroots manager in the Shafiq family business.
Where he goes from there? That'll depend entirely on his own skill.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 161 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]